Home

Ok so I have been abandoned by my daughter (asleep: rude) and also my husband (gone to the pub: ruder) so I am all on my lonesome. Possibly a 'little bit ronery' like Kim Jong Il in Team America (genius). http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UEaKX9YYHiQ.

Me, tonight

Thankfully I have wine to drink and empties to whistle through. First up is Mandara Spa Honeymilk Dream nourishing miracle oil. Use it on your hair, body, for scrubbing the floors, basting a turkey etc etc. They do a whole range and this was about £3 on offer in Sainsbury's over the summer. I was slathering on epic proportions of body oil in the fight against stretch marks and fast became aware that you really don't need an expensive 'prenatal oil'; they all do pretty much the same thing. This one was no exception. It is a great body moisturiser and smells gorgeous. Even at full price it was only £7 for 50ml and I would happily repurchase. Like all body oils it is a bit of a faff if you are in a rush in the morning (oil and clothing are not a great mix) but good post evening bath.

Empties

Next up is the Shu Uemura Color Lustre shampoo. Testing anything on my barnet is a bit unfair because it is so ruined after years of bleach. This was recommend by a previous hair dresser and on balance stopped my hair actually falling out (good result) and has lasted about 9 months being used 1-2 times a week. It costs £25 for 300ml which seemed horrendously expensive but given how long it lasted was actually a bargain.

Final empty was the ByTerry Cellularose Brightening CC Lumi Serum. I bought this at 38 weeks pregnant having waddled into Space NK after finishing work. I was a hormonal wreck and it was about 35 degrees so fairly dehydrated which may have contributed to what happened next. A makeup woman was in there and I casually enquired about a concealer I was looking for (Kevin Aucoin) to hide my rampant melasma. The makeup woman was a ByTerry aficionado and before you could say 'third trimester' I had spent £250 on a range of (mostly makeup) that I had no idea about. To her credit the eye makeup has been amazing but their foundation (Terrybly Densiliss) is obscenely expensive (£76 - i would have returned it if i could have walked) and for me nowhere near as good as Chanel Vita Lumiere.

Anyway, I was sold the CC serum as a way of trying to conceal my melasma. I'm not sure it was desperately effective at doing this but to be fair not much is. Initially I didn't really like this much as I felt it made me look too pale and didn't offer much else. However, given that it was £60 and had eaten into my daughter's education fund I decided I had to finish it. I have used it everyday since and actually think it does give a really nice glow. It absorbs in quickly, can be layered with lots of other products and smells good. On balance I'm not sure I would get it again though as it is seriously expensive and I do look way too pale with it on in the summer (much better for the pasty winter look).

My final empty is my wine glass which is my biggest concern right now. Chianti in case you were wondering - all a little bit Hannibal for a Friday night. X